wenker



(No Model.) V 2 sheets-sum 1.

G. WENKBR BooK S HBLP.

No. 511.503. PatentedjApr. 3,1894.

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2 sheets-Sheet 2.

(Ho Model.) i

G. WENKER.

BooK SHELP. No. 517,503. Patented Apr. 3,'1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT reform GEoRG WENKER, or MARBURG, GERMANY.

` BooK-sHELF.

SPEGIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 517,503, dated April 3, 1894. Applcationfiled June 24,1893. Serial No. 478.731. (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern- Be it known that I, GEoRG WENKER, doctor of philosophy, a subject of the King of Prussla, residing at Marburg-on-the-Lahn, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bookhelves, of which the following is a specifica- I have provided a book-shelf with adjustable bearing plates which may be mounted quickly in proper supports and rapidly dismounted again.

The book-shelves constructed according to this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 1

Figure 1, is a sectional perspective of a portion of one of the step standards and Fig. 1a is a cross section of the same; Fig. 2 a side elevation of the shelves with a safetyvbolt. Fig. 3 is a cross sectionof the safety bolt. Fig. 4: shows the bottom' plate having the longitudinal edges rolled up. Fig. 5 represents the total arrangement of a book-shelf constructed according to this invention. Fig. 6 shows thel safety device consisting of the bolt Z applied to the bearing plates. Figs. 7

. to 12il1ustrate a modified construction of a book-shelf embodying this invention, the stepstandards being attached not to the wall but placed in front of the proper frame. Fig. 7 shows the total arrangement of the'modified book-shelf; Fig. 8 a side plate for books of smaller size, the teeth being applied to the front side. Fig. 9 represents the arrangement of a side plate for books of larger sizes.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of the side plate 'in the case of unilateral book shelves they4 are sccured to the wall at suitable distances from each other, whereupon the proper bearing plates are hooked in between the steps. The bearing plates consist of the side plates,

bottom plates and safety bolts. The side plates c are provided on the rear side with a range of teeth which preferably are obtained by stamping. The several teeth d are directed downward, the distance of which from middle to middle is corresponding to the distance of the steps b of the standard a. It is advantageous to round out upward the inner angles of the cl earings lso that the steps may firmly catch. To carry easily the whole bearing plates the side plates are provided on their upper border with a cutting c. The lower border carries an adjoint piece h corresponding to the width of the bottom plate and bent inward at a right angle. The bottom plates i made also of thin sheet iron have their longitudinal edges bordered or rolled up, whereby they obtain a considerably higher capacity of bearing Strength. These rolled borders k (Fig. 4) are obtained in such a manner,`that the longer edge of sheet iron is first rolled so as to form a collar, which is then pressed into a fiat shape. By

`ro1ling round one or more times, the capacity of bearing Strength of the bottom plate may be regulated at will. By pressing thecollar into a flat shapel attain in comparisonwith. the great capacity of bearing-strength a very small Vloss of space in the perpendicular direction.

The borders k areof such a shape that the pieces h of the side plates c can be inserted between the border and the bottom plate, so that a complete firmly connected bearing plate is obtained which, together with the books arranged thereupon, can easily and readily be displaced or carried away. To prevent any -mot-ion of the teeth between the steps and consequently any sliding of the plates, the several side plates c are provided with recesses f having flaps g bent up (see Figs. 2 and 6); the bolt Z shown in section in Fig. 3 and held by thefiaps g is movable in the horizontal direction. If this bolt lis advanced its front correspondingly large tongue m engages between two steps of the standard and constitutes a very firm connection between the bearing plates and Step-standards (see Fig. 6). If it be desired to avoid the circumstantial cuttings the bolt may be constructed as a band of sheet metal movable in two guides fixed by rivets (see Fig. 9), a small IOO space in the width of the book shelf is lost and the branches of the stop-standards must be arranged correspondingly at a larger distance from each other.

In shelves for books of larger size the side and bottom plates niust of course be correspondingly larger. In this case tlie correspondingly large side plate e has advantageously two rectangularly bent pieces h, over which also two bottom plates i) may be puslied. Owing to their four rolled longitudinal edges these bottom plates are of a correspondingly greater capacity of bearing Strength so that a sagging of the plates will not take place. This arrangement is applied to the two lower bearing plates of Fig. 5.

If several book-slielves are employed the one near the other, the Step-standards on the inner sides are used each time simultaneonsly for two shelves, so that for each contact face one step-standard becomes superlinous.

In freestanding bilateral slielves either double standards with steps are provided on each side or unilateral stop-standards are connected two by two in a suitable manner. In the first case the standard a woiild have an I-shaped cross section, the inner beain of which must be of the required corresponding capacity of bearing Strength.

The book-shelves constructed according to this invention offer in inanyrespects very iinportant advantages. First, owing to the simple nianner of construction of the several parts the first costs are very low; second, by the small thickness of the bottomand sideplates much space is saved which is important for large libraries, sales-rooms and the like. As the side and bottom plates correspond to the size of the books, there is no space lost in the Width of the shelves; third, the several bearing plates are easily and rapidly adjustable in very low distances (distances of the steps) without taking away t-lie books and in the case of reinoval, the., they may be carried easily together with the books; fourth, the total weight of the ron parts is lighter than that of the wooden parts of a wooden shelf having the same size.

The bookshelf with adjnstable bearing plates is disposed preferably in the following manner: In store rooms the Step-standards are Secured at top and bottom to iron cross bars connected with the supporting pillars of the magazine. In smaller libraries the step standards are provided at their lower ends with a reetangularly projecting foot in order to prevent tilting. The several standards are held by means of suitable cross bars at the right distance from each other. In book cases, the., the Step-standards are fastened to the back wall by means of screws.

If there is plenty of space the bottom plate may be substituted bya board fixed by means of screws to the side plates. This arrangement may of course be used advantageonsly allo for shop shelvings in store-rooms and the li e.

It is advisable to protect, before using the shelves, all the iroii-parts of the latter by painting or oxidizing against rust.

The construction shown in Figs. 7 to 10 is based on the same principles as the construction above described, with the exception liowever, that the toothed border is applied to the front edge of the plates for books of smaller size and nearly in the center of the side plates for books of larger size, as illustrated in Fig. 7. Iii this case the step standards are arranged not behind but before the side plates or in the center of the latter respectively. In side plates for books of smaller size the toothed border arranged on the front side (teeth d') is bent twice outward at a right angle, so that it embraces the i nner branch of the Step-standard as shown in Figs. 7 and 11. In side plates for books of larger size the toothed border n is riveted nearly at the center as illnstrated in Fig. 9 in elevation and in Fig. 10 in cross section. This arrangement of -the Step-standards and teeth offers the following essential advantages. The load of the books of smaller sizes is supported entirely, and that of books of larger sizes partially behind the teetli, it lias therefore not the tendency to unhook'the teeth but forces tliem still more firmly into the steps. For this reasoii a special safety bolt is seareel y required.. If notwithstanding such a bolt. is to be used, I prefer the Iform of fastening l' shown in Fig. 11 as particnlarly advantageous. Another also very simple safety device is sliowii in Fig.12. Below the liorizontal piece h of the side plate is arranged a pivoted support o catching with its nose behind the Step-standard, which relieves the strain very eonsiderably. The removal of the several bearing plates for displacing them is much inore easily etfected, while the said plates are inueh more rapidly adjusted, as the step staiidards are nearer in front of the person.

The above described arrangement can be applied witliout any difficulty to any wooden book-stand in fastening by means of screws the step standards to the front edges of the side boards.

To obtain an adjustinent for very small distances it is suitable to reduce the number of steps in the standards' to the half or third in taking their distances two or three times as large as the teeth. In this case the 4bolts catchin g into the steps (if they are used) must be provided with two or three teeth, so that at each position of the bearing plate, they seize a step.

1. The combination of the U-formed step standards having horizontal steps at very small distances from each other with the bottom plates or shelves of extremly thin sheet metal having the two longitndinal edges rolled up and pressed into a flat shape, side plates of sheet metal each havingarectangnlarly bent lower piece and a series of down- IIO IIS

wardly projeeting teeth to engage adj ustably the steps of the standards and a looking slide to prevent displacement of the teeth and steps, all substantially as described.

2. A book shelf consisting of the step standards, the side plates supported therefrom,

bent pieees h fonning eontinuations of the side plates and a bottom plate i having rolled edges removably supported by said pieees h, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the standards having the steps b, the side plates having a series of downwardl'y projeoting teeth, and a hori- 

